The Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge is a

covered bridge A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...

located in Lancaster County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

. The bridge has a single span, wooden, double

Burr arch truss The Burr Arch Truss—or, simply, Burr Truss or Burr Arch—is a combination of an arch and a ''multiple kingpost'' truss design. It was invented in 1804 by Theodore Burr, patented on April 3, 1817, and used in bridges, usually covered brid ...

es design. The bridge, which spans the

Conestoga River The Conestoga River, also referred to as Conestoga Creek, is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River flowing through the cente ...

, is long, making it the longest single span covered bridge in the county. The bridge's WGCB Number is 38-36-06. Unlike most historic covered bridges in the county, it is not listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...

. It is located at (40.08717, -76.24750). The bridge is approximately one mile southeast of

Pennsylvania Route 272 Pennsylvania Route 272 (PA 272) is a highway in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the Lancaster area. The southern terminus of the route is at the Mason–Dixon line southeast of Nottingham, where the road continues into Maryland as Maryland Route 2 ...

and is north of

Pennsylvania Route 23 Pennsylvania Route 23 (PA 23) is an state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. The route begins at PA 441 in Marietta and heads east to U.S. Route 1 (US 1) at City Avenue on the border of Lower Merion Township and Philadelphia. PA 23 begin ...

off Mondale Road on Hunsecker Road, just west of the community of Hunsecker. The bridge divides the road on which it is upon into Hunsecker Road (East) in Upper Leacock Township and Hunsicker Road (West) in Manheim Township.

History

The original bridge was built in 1843 by John Russell at a cost of $1,988. It was and is a double

Burr Arch The Burr Arch Truss—or, simply, Burr Truss or Burr Arch—is a combination of an arch and a ''multiple kingpost'' truss design. It was invented in 1804 by Theodore Burr, patented on April 3, 1817, and used in bridges, usually covered bridges ...

truss system. It has been swept away in

flood A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...

ing numerous times, most recently in 1972 after

Hurricane Agnes Hurricane Agnes in 1972 was the costliest hurricane to hit the United States at the time, causing an estimated $2.1 billion in damage. The hurricane's death toll was 128. The effects of Agnes were widespread, from the Caribbean to Canada, ...

. Waters lifted the original structure off its abutments and carried it downstream. In 1973, following destruction from the hurricane, it was rebuilt at a cost of $321,302.^{''Note:''Bickel lists 1948 as another reconstruction date, but fails to mention the significant and more recent 1972 flooding and subsequent reconstruction.} Its length of 180 feet makes it the longest single-span covered bridge of Lancaster County's 29 covered bridges. While Schenck's covered bridge (Big Chiques #4) is one of 3 bridges with horizontal siding boards, the Hunsecker's Mill bridge may be the only one in Lancaster County with horizontal floor boards which give a unique vibration upon crossing, it is a little bumpy for cyclists at speed, proceed with some caution. A detailed scale model (~7' long), complete with stone abutments, was donated to the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society and may be available for viewing.

Dimensions

*Length: total length *Width: total width *Overhead clearance:

Gallery

Image:HunsickerMillBridge.jpg, A three-quarters view of the bridge Image:Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge Three Quarters View 3008px.jpg, Another view from a different angle Image:Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge Wide Side View 3000px.jpg, A side view Image:Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge East Approach 2850px.jpg, The approach to the bridge from the east Image:Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge Inside 3000px.jpg, The inside of the bridge showing the

Image:Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge Burr Arch Bridge 3008px.jpg, A closer look of the Burr arch bridge Image:Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge Floor and Wall 3000px.jpg, A closeup of spot where the floor meets the wall Image:Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge Center 3008px.jpg, The center of the bridge highlighting the

Image:Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge Window 3008px.jpg, A view out of the bridge's window

References

{{Crossings navbox , structure = Bridges , place =

, bridge = Hunsecker's Mill Covered Bridge , bridge signs = , upstream =

Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge The Pinetown Bushong's Mill Covered Bridge is a covered bridge that spans the Conestoga River in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. A county-owned and maintained bridge, its official designation is the Big Conestoga #6 Bridge. The brid ...

, upstream signs = , downstream = New Holland Pike Bridge , downstream signs = Covered bridges in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Bridges completed in 1843 Bridges over the Conestoga River Road bridges in Pennsylvania 1843 establishments in Pennsylvania Wooden bridges in Pennsylvania Burr Truss bridges in the United States

History

Dimensions

Gallery

See also

References